Erie Auto Insurance Review: Should you buy in 2024?

What You Should Know About erie insurance group

Erie was founded in 1925 by two people looking to improve their working conditions. Since then, Erie has expanded into 12 states and offers a solid selection of insurance products.

With low complaint numbers, high customer satisfaction, and some of the most affordable rates on the market, Erie is a good insurance company worth checking out. One of the only things keeping Erie from being one of the overall best auto insurance companies in the country is its limited availability.

Before you sign up for a policy, check out how Erie does in key areas below.

Third-Party Ratings for Erie

Looking at Erie insurance reviews from customers is important, but a good place to start is with third-party ratings. These ratings give you an idea of how well a company does in several key areas.

A.M. Best rates companies on their financial strength. Companies with high scores are financially stable and will be able to pay any claim you might make. Erie has an A+ from A.M. Best, which is considered a superior score.

Another good place to look is the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), which rates companies on how many complaints they receive compared to their size. A 1.0 is the national average — anything higher means the company receives more complaints.

Erie has a 0.93 from the NAIC, meaning it receives slightly fewer complaints than the average company.

As a mid-sized insurance company, Erie does well in J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction survey, taking first and second place for the regions where it sells insurance. It also earns the third-highest score for its overall shopping experience.

Finally, you can also look at the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) ratings. The BBB rates companies on their ability to resolve customer issues, and Erie receives an A+.  

Does Erie have good customer service?

Like most insurance companies, reviews for Erie insurance customer service are mixed.

Happy customers say Erie representatives treat them professionally while ensuring they feel appreciated. Many customers also report satisfaction with how quick Erie’s claims handling process is.

As far as unsatisfied customers, a common complaint is that it can be difficult to contact insurance representatives, especially when they need information about a claim. There are also several online complaints from people filing a claim against an Erie driver, stating that it’s challenging to get Erie to pay for the damage.

Erie also has complaints common to every insurance company, including customers upset that their rates increased after making a claim. While increased rates are never fun, all insurance companies raise prices for customers who make multiple claims.

Does Erie give back to its community?

Although it doesn’t affect insurance rates, many drivers are interested in buying from a company that gives back. Although Erie is a relatively small insurance company compared to big names like GEICO and State Farm, it still makes an effort to help its communities. 

Erie participates in the following charitable causes:

• Charitable giving. Erie makes charitable donations and encourages employees to volunteer with causes that support community building, safety, and environmental responsibility.
• Corporate partners. Erie donates time and money to organizations like the American Red Cross, United Way, and Habitat for Humanity.
• Employee giving. Erie makes it easy for employees to make donations to initiatives that mean the most to them.
• Community partners. Erie helps organize community events with partners like the March of Dimes, American Heart Association, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
• Field office giving. Erie periodically awards $2,500 to charities that go above and beyond in their community service.

According to Erie, it’s donated funds to 975 charities since it began charitable giving, with over 400 employees donating their time. Erie is a great option if you’re interested in a company that gives back.

erie insurance group Insurance Coverage Options

Most car insurance companies offer everything you need for a basic policy. Most drivers need either minimum insurance or full coverage, and Erie can help with both.

Minimum insurance refers to the minimum auto insurance required in your state. You must meet your state’s requirements before you can legally drive or register your car. Most states require at least liability insurance, though Virginia and New Hampshire drivers do not need coverage.

Full coverage refers to a suite of insurance products, and while it’s not required by any state law, you’ll probably need it if you have a car loan or lease.

To meet these needs, Erie sells the following types of car insurance:

• Bodily injury liability. This part of liability auto insurance pays for injuries you cause to other drivers in a collision.
• Property damage liability. The other half of liability insurance, covers damage you cause to other cars, buildings, and other types of property. Liability insurance does not cover your vehicle or medical bills.
• Collision. Collision insurance helps pay for damage to your car after an accident, no matter who caused it. It also covers your vehicle if you hit a stationary object, like a mailbox.
• Comprehensive. There’s a lot more than collisions that can damage your vehicle. Comprehensive insurance covers damage from weather, fire, vandalism, animal contact, and theft.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist. Although most states require drivers to carry car insurance, only some follow the law. Uninsured motorist coverage protects you from drivers with inadequate insurance, as well as from hit-and-runs.
• Personal injury protection (PIP). Personal injury protection insurance helps pay for medical bills for you and your passengers. Some states sell medical payments insurance instead.

Full coverage includes every insurance listed above and offers solid protection for your car. It costs more to buy full coverage, but the extra protection is usually worth it.

Does Erie sell car insurance add-ons?

Car insurance add-ons are convenient ways to add additional coverage and extra features to your policy. Buying add-ons will increase the price of your insurance, but the extra coverage makes up for the added cost.

While it doesn’t have as large a selection of customization options as some competitors, Erie has a few solid offerings. 

Erie sells the following add-ons:

• Erie Auto Plus. This affordable package includes a diminishing deductible, 10 days of rental car reimbursement, increased coverage limits, a waived deductible for certain incidents, and a $10,000 death benefit.
• Rate Lock. This add-on prevents your car insurance rates from changing, even if you file a claim. Only adding a new driver or car to your policy will result in rate changes.
• Motorcycle insurance. You can add coverage for a motorcycle to your Erie insurance without having to start a new policy.
• New car replacement. Normally, you’d receive a check for your car’s depreciated value after it’s declared a total loss. This add-on ensures you can replace your vehicle with a new model of similar value.
• Rental car reimbursement. If your car is stuck in the shop after a covered accident, Erie rental car reimbursement insurance will cover the rental cost.
• Roadside assistance. Erie will come to the rescue when you’re stranded on the side of the road. Roadside assistance covers things like towing, dead batteries, and flat tires.

If you’re interested in any of these add-ons, you’ll need to check with an Erie representative. Add-on availability varies by state, and you might need to go elsewhere to find similar coverage.

Do Erie car insurance policies come with extra features?

One thing that sets Erie apart from its competition is that it includes a variety of features in every policy, free of charge. 

Erie offers the following features with every car insurance policy:

• First accident forgiveness. As long as you’ve gone three years without an accident with your Erie insurance, your first accident won’t affect your rates.
• Windshield repair. If your windshield can be repaired rather than replaced, Erie will waive your comprehensive deductible.
• Pet injury. Erie will cover up to $500 of vet expenses if your pet is injured in a covered accident, up to $1,000.
• Travel expenses. Your insurance will cover meal and lodging expenses if you’re car becomes disabled in a covered event while you’re away from home.

Like add-ons, you’ll need to check with a representative to see what’s available in your area. A representative can also help you understand exactly what each free feature covers and if you’re eligible for it.

What other types of insurance does Erie sell?

Erie sells various insurance products to cover just about anything important to you. 

You have the following options for additional insurance with Erie:

• Motorcycle
• ATV/snowmobile/golf cart
• RV
• Boat
• Collector/classic car
• Home/renters/condo/mobile home
• Flood
• Personal valuables
• Life
• Medicare supplemental
• Long-term care
• Retirement
• Personal umbrella
• Identity theft
• Business
• Commercial auto

Like its car coverage, Erie tends to offer affordable rates for its other insurance products. For example, Erie’s home insurance is 15% cheaper than the national average and is usually one of the least expensive options.

erie insurance group Insurance Rates Breakdown

Generally speaking, Erie offers lower rates than many of its competitors. In fact, Erie rates tend to be more than 40% cheaper than the national average for minimum insurance and about 35% cheaper for full coverage auto insurance.

While there are many ways to look at car insurance quotes, a quick way to compare rates is to look at multiple companies. Check below to compare Erie’s average rates with some of its biggest competitors.

As you can see, Erie offers reasonable prices and is often lower than more prominent companies. However, insurance companies look at many factors to determine your rates. These factors can drastically alter how much you pay for car insurance.

Explore how Erie rates change for different demographics below, but remember that Erie will personalize your insurance quote. Any price you see might be very different than the average rate.

Erie Insurance Rates by Age and Gender

Two of the most important factors in the price of your insurance are beyond your control. Young, inexperienced drivers and men pay more for car insurance because they are statistically more likely to file a future claim.

Young drivers lack the necessary driving experience to navigate every dangerous situation the road throws at them, like black ice or low visibility. They also engage in riskier driving behaviors and cause more claims.

Male drivers are likelier than their female counterparts to drive recklessly, engage in road rage behaviors, and drive under the influence. Young male drivers pay the highest rates for insurance, but the price gap lessens between genders with age.

Erie tends to have some of the lowest rates for any age group and gender, especially auto insurance for teenage drivers. For example, an average 18-year-old male driver pays $81 a month with Erie. That same driver might see rates like $167 with Nationwide auto insurance, $106 with GEICO auto insurance, and $124 with State Farm auto insurance.

Erie Insurance Rates for Low Credit Scores

Some factors that affect your insurance rates are obvious, like your driving record or location. Others often surprise drivers, and one of those is your credit score.

Except in Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts, where the practice is banned, insurance companies use your credit score to craft your rates. There are two reasons behind it, and only one has to do with driving.

Statistically speaking, drivers with low credit scores file more claims. The lower your score, the likelier you are to file a future claim in the eyes of an insurance company.

The second reason is that insurance companies assume people with higher scores are more likely to pay their monthly bills on time.

Auto insurance for drivers with bad credit can be up to 60% more. Check below to compare how much Erie charges when you have a low credit score with other companies.

Although Erie isn’t the most affordable, it still does fairly well for people with low credit scores. However, if the only thing you have working against you is a low score, you should compare rates with GEICO and Nationwide.

Erie Insurance Rates After Traffic Incidents

Traffic incidents are one of the best ways for a car insurance company to get a sense of how risky you are. After all, insurance rates are crafted on the likelihood that you’ll file a claim in the future and cost the company money. People with incidents in their driving record are statistically more likely to add more.

Traffic incidents include small things like a minor speeding ticket and major things like at-fault accidents or reckless driving charges. The amount that incidents affect your rates varies by situation, but you can expect any infraction to increase your monthly bill.

Erie is one of the most forgiving companies of an at-fault accident, with only State Farm beating it for the lowest average rates. Similarly, Erie offers reasonable rates after a speeding ticket.

Although car insurance rates after an accident are higher, they won’t stay high forever. As long as you avoid adding more violations to your driving record, the average incident only affects your insurance rates for about three years.

Erie Insurance Rates After a DUI

Of all the violations you can add to your driving record, DUIs have one of the most significant impacts on your insurance rates. Some insurance companies will drop you after a single DUI, while others will charge you rates so high that they’re virtually unaffordable.

So, how does Erie hold up for auto insurance after a DUI? Compare Erie rates with other companies below.

Once again, Erie has some of the lowest rates. Depending on other factors, Erie might be your cheapest option.

Like other traffic incidents, a DUI won’t affect your rates forever. However, insurance companies consider a DUI a far riskier prospect for future claims than the average speeding ticket or accident. A DUI affects your rates for about seven years, and you might need to find high-risk auto insurance until it falls off your record.

erie insurance group Discounts Available

Car insurance companies often offer discounts to help drivers save money on their policies. Car insurance discounts are so important in finding affordable rates that a company’s available discounts list is something you should look at when shopping for coverage.

While it doesn’t offer as many as some of its competitors, Erie still has plenty of ways to save. 

You might be eligible for the following Erie discounts:

• Multi-policy. There are two ways to earn this discount. First, simply insure more than one vehicle on the same policy. Second, buy a home or life insurance policy through Erie along with your car coverage.
• Vehicle storage. If you plan on storing your vehicle for at least 90 days, Erie will drastically reduce your rates until you use your car again.
• Safety features. Erie offers discounts for having safety features like airbags, anti-lock brakes, and anti-theft devices installed in your vehicle.
• Pay in full. Earn a small discount for paying for an entire year of insurance rather than making monthly payments.
• Youthful driver. A parent or guardian can earn a discount for adding an unmarried driver under 21 to their policy.
• Youthful driver longevity. Young, unmarried drivers can earn credit towards a new policy when they split off a family plan.
• Driver training. Drivers under 21 who complete an education course will receive discounted rates.
• College student. Erie will reduce your rates if you have a student attending college away from home and left their car at home.

It might not be the most comprehensive list of discounts on the market, but Erie does offer some valuable ways to save. You’ll need to check with an insurance representative to see which discounts you’re eligible for, as availability varies by state.

Read more: Buying Car Storage Insurance: What You Need To Know